Type casting machine and matrix therefor



Dec. 27, 1932. c co c 1,892,156

TYPE CASTING MACHINE AND MATRIX THEREFOR Filed Jan. 8, 1931 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 27, 1932. c. A. MACOMIC 1,392,156

TYPE CASTING MACHINE AND MATRIX THEREFOR Filed Jan. 8, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 \N'T) w TM N Dec. 27', 1932. c. A. MAcoMlc I TYPE CASTING MACHINE AND MATRIX THEREFOR- Filed Jan. 8, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 27, 1932 ears My invention relates to a type casting machine and a type casting matrix for use therewith. My invention relates to a machine which has for its particular purpose to effectuate the casting of lines of type in response to the actuation of a typewriter keyboard. Another purpose of my invention is to provide a lin of type casting machine which can be operated from a type 'rit-er key- 115 board. Another purpose is the provision of a line of type casting machi-ne'in which substantially all the characters of a typewriter keyboard can be impressed in any space of the line of type. Another object is to provide a type matrix which shall be particularly adaptable for use with a typewriter operated line of type casting machine of the nature herein described. Other objects will appear from time to tlne in the course of the specification and claims.

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying dra *ings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical longitud'nal section;

Figure 2 a section along the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a matrix strip;

Figure 4 is a bottom view of such a strip;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section illustrating the ali nment of the matrix strips with the controlling stops;

Figure 6 is a detail illustratng the engagement of the matrix strip with a controlling stop.

L ke parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specification and drawings.

A is any suitable typewriter mechanism raving a plurality of type controlling keys A and a shift key A The keys are all situated upon the ends of vertically disposed fiat strips A as usual intypewriter practice, which strips pass through the slotted comb guide plate A A? is any suitable adjusting means for adjusting the level'of thetypewriter in relation to the frame members B of the line of type machine.

Adapted to be controlled by each key, as hey is compressed .is a key extension mem- B which extends to one arm of the bell OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS AND MATE-IX THEREFOR 1931. Serial IEO. 507,393.

crank lever B shown in dotted lines in F igure 1, and pivoted as at 13 To the opposite arm of the lever B is pivoted as at B a controlling wire B the opposite endof which is secured to the upper edge B of a shutter B which is pivoted as at B and is provided with a downwardly turned lower edge 13". It will be understood that there is a key extension member, a bell crank lever, a wire and a shutter for each key of the typewriter, to each shutter extending transversely from side to side of the typewriter across substantially the entire width of the line of type casting machine.

Underlying the shutters is a plunger car- (3-5 riage C having mounted in it for vertical movement a. plurality of plungers 0 each having the relatively extended head C and a lower extension C of smaller cross section.

It will be understood that the plunger carriage bears a plunger for each shutter.

I move the plunger carriage laterally in unison with the usual typewriter escapement carriage, by means the details of which form no part of the present invention. Thus the position of the plun er carriage corresponds with the position of that part of the escapeinent carriage which is to receive the next .type impression, and, during the writing of a line of type on the typewriter, the plunger carriage travels laterally entirely across the bed of the machine.

Underlying the plunger carriage is a stop bed I) in which are positioned for vertical movement a plurality of stops D The stop 8 bed I) is mounted for vertical movement for example on the shafts D which pass through the bearing members D and may be moved vertically, to move the stop bed, by any suitable mechanism, the details of which are not herein shown as they form no part of the present invention. The steps in the stop bed are arranged in lines lying parallel with the plunger carriage. In each line there are two stops for each plunger of the plunger carriage. There are as many lines of stops asthere are spaces to be filled, in the line of type to be produced.

Each plunger controls two stops, through the longitudinal movement of the plunger 1 carriage C by means of the connecting link E which is controlled by the shaft key E of the typewriter and is pivoted to an arm of the bell crank lever E The opposite arm of the i bell crank lever is secured by means of the with the plungers when the shift key is depressed. I

In case the operator, seeing an error in proof which is typed by the normal typewriter mechanism wishes to correct it, he draws the roller G to the right, as shown in Figure 1, the roller being actuated by any suitable belt or chain G which passes about the sheaves G G The roller pushes the steps up into the inoperative position, and

- the operator rewrites the line.

H is any suitable supporting bed or table having the upper supporting surface H Longitudinally slidable upon this surface are a plurality of matrix strips H the details of which are shown in Figures 8, 4 and 6. Each matrix strip has a fiat under surface H which is penetrated by the vertically aligned symbols H each strip having aligned along it all the characters governed by or appearing on the keyboard used to operate the device. Preferably I arrange these characters in pairs each adjacent pair being a pair of characters appearing on one of the typewriter keys.

At the forward end of each strip is an indentation H. the forward wall H of which serves as a spring abutment. The forward end is bevelled as at H. At the rear of the strip is an upwardly projecting stop H which is forwardly continued along one side of the strip as at H.

J is any suitable spring finger the downwardly inclined end J of which is adapted to engage the spring abutment H". I do not' illustrate in detail the means for drawing the spring finger J along the bed H but it will be understood that any suitable means may be provided for engaging it with the spring abutment H and for drawing the matrix strip to the left as shown in Figure 1.

K illustrates the casting threat, a transverse slot extending from side to side of the bed H and adapted to receive a charge of molten metal which may be fed in any suit able manner not here shown in detail.

L is a suitable transverse yoke overlying the matrix strips and adapted to be clamped downwardly against them, for example by means of the spiral springs L in their hous ings L which are pressed between the bottom of the table H and the pins L on the shafts L, the shafts being secured to the ends L of the yoke L, and passing through the table H. The yoke L may normally be held in slightly raised position to permit free longitudinal movement of the matrix strips, for example through the links L which may be held in relatively raised position by any suitable means not herein shown. The metal pot from which the type metal is forced into the throat is diagrammatically shown as at L.

M is any suitable abutment arm which may be adjusted about the pivot M in the yoke L for example by the set of screws or bolts M M bearing against the arms M M M is an abutment strip bevelled as at M and adapted to engage one of the compression strips M between which the matrix strips may be coinpressed. M is the opposite abutment strip bevelled as at M and adapted to be engaged by the lower arm of the squeeze lever M which is pivoted as at M in the yoke L and has an upper arm M surrounding the vertical guiding bolt M held in normally raised position by the spiral compression spring M The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

I provide a type casting mechanism which may be operated by any suitable keyboard but which I prefer to operate by using an ordinary typewriter. The typewriter is positioned above or in front of the type casting mechanism and the positioning of the matrices of the type casting mechanism is governed by the keys of the typewriter keyboard. One outstanding advantage of this arrangement is that it is easy in proof reading. The operator writes a line on the typewriter, and can read that line on the paper in the usual way. When an entire line has been correctly written, a slug is cast which reproduces it.

I use a separate matrix strip for each available space in each slug. Thus if I cast slugs having the width of eighty letters, I employ a series of eighty matrix strips positioned side by side on a supporting bed. In the bottom of each matrix strip is the impression of every letter or character which can be printed. Thus by having matrix strips for each space on the slug, and by having all the characters on each matrix strip I can position any character at any point on the slug.

7 In order to avail myself of the typewriter mechanism, I provide key extension members. one of which is contacted by each key as the key is depressed in response to the pressure of the finger of the operator. Each such key extension member controls the movement of the matrix strip for the particular space along the line of type and along the slug which is being filled, when the key is depressed. In order to obtain this control I provide a transverse shutterv or pressure transmitting member-which extends transversely across the entire bed of the machine. Each shutter is pivoted and is controlled by a tension wire which in turnis secured to a bell crank lever, the opposite arm of which is controlled by the key extension member. Thus at each key depression-a shutter is depressed.

Underlying the-shutters is the plunger carriage which has thereon a plunger aligned with each shutter. This plunger carriage moves in unison with the movement of the typewriter escapement carriage, and always is aligned with the space on the slug which is being filled by the particular key pressure involved.

Positioned beneath the plunger carriageis a stop bed, in which are mounted rows of stops overlying each matrix strip. In each such alignment there are, with the Remington typewriter, for example, eighty-three stops, two for each of the forty-two keys with the omission of one stop for one character, the underscore, which is not used in type casting. When a key is depressed it depresses a shutter, and the shutter depresses a plunger on the plunger carriage, and .the plunger depresses a stop, the stops being frictionally mounted in the stop bed. In order to control all eighty-three stops with the forty-two plungers which correspond to the forty-two keys I employ a connection with the shift key of the typewriter which, in response to movement of that key, rotates a bell crank lever. the opposite. arm of which is connected to the plunger carriage and moves it longitudinally. Each plunger having a relatively extended upper surface, the action of the shutters on the plungers is not affected by this longitudina'l movement ofithe plunger carriage and the plungers. However, it does affectthe alignment of each plunger with the stops positioned beneath it, and I am thus able to control, when using a single shift typewriter key bar, two stops with each'plunger.

When the operator has written an entire line, he-has depressed stops at various points all the way across the matrix supporting bed.-

He 'firstcorrectsthe line, if correction is necessary, and he can do this by running a roller beneath the stops, which forces them back into inoperative position, he then writes the line over again. When the proof is correct, the operator depresses the stop bed into such position that the stops are in longitudinal alignment w-ithrthe upwardly project ng stops on the individual matrix strips. He then pushes the operating lever and draws all the matrix strips forward in unison. Each strip is engaged at one end by a spring catch, which seats in a spring abutment. When the stop on each matrix strip engages the opposed stop on the stop bed, the matrix strip 'is arrested and the spring catch frees it.

VV henall the matrix strips are released from the springs they are all aligned with the-desired characters overlying the casting point or throat. here a space instead ofaletter was used, a blank portion of the matrix strip the details of which are not of importancein 1 the present application, but which can be moved to free the slug after it is cast and to permit it to be delivered to any suitable rack or conveying means. After each such casting operation the matrix strips are moved back to their original position ready for the writing of a new line of type.

lVhile I have illustrated a device which may be and preferably is used with atypewriter, it will be obvious that I might obtain the same result with many varieties of keyboard and that I might, under some circumstances, depart from the use of a typewriter or itsequivalent. However in practice it has proved advantageous to use a typewriter and to use typewriter paper as a positive check in proof reading, a check which is operative before the slug is cast and which effects an enormous saving in time and inmateri'al. No line of type is cast until its proof has been read and corrected.

In the use of the usual typewriter keyboard I employ all the characters save one, namely, the underscore. The underscore is not used in type casting and where underscoring is desired'a-n underscore is set beneath the normal alignment of the remaining characters. In order more conveniently to eliminate the underscore I position the remaining character controlled by. the key which controls the underscoring at one end of the series of letters on the matrix strip. I might slightly lengthen the strip and leave a blank space in it, but I prefer to position it as described. When it is desired to omit stop characters from any particular keyboard, it maybe done in like fashion. Since actuation of the shift key shifts the plunger carriage the length of one stop or one carriage I arrange all the characters in pairs on the matrix strip, each pair ofcharacters controlled by a single key being adjacently positioned on the matrix strip. I also preferably but not necessarily arrange the pairs of characters along the matrix strip in the order in which they appea-ron the typewriter keyboard, having referenceto'the order of the key controlled levers along the comb plate of the typewriter. This is a great convenience in assembling my mechanism, since the shutter controlling wires are graduated as to length from one stop of the mechanism to the other, with the exception, of course, of the wire controlled by the undescoring key.

. I claim:

1. A matrix, for use with a type casting machine, having means for yieldinglymoving a plurality of matrices, and for stopping each of said matrices at a predetermined point, the matrix comprising a long relatively narrow bar having type impressions along one face thereof, a spring abutment at one end of said bar and a stop at the other end of said bar.

2.'A matrix, for use with a type casting machine having means for yieldingly moving a plurality of matrices, and for stopping each of said matrices at a predetermined point, the matrix comprising a long relatively narrow bar having type impressions along the bottom thereof, a spring abutment at one end of the top of said bar and a stop at the other end of the top of said bar.

3. A matrix, for use with a type casting machine having means for yieldingly moving a plurality of matrices, and for stopping each of said matrices at a predetermined point, the matrix comprising a long relative- 1 narrow bar having type impressions along t 1e bottom thereof, a spring abutment at one end of the top of said bar and a stop at the other end of the top of said bar, the spring abutment lying beneath the normal level of the top of the bar, and the stop projecting thereabove.

4. A matrix, for use with a type casting machine adapted to be operated by a typewriter key board, each keyof which is adapted to control aplurality of characters, the matrix having thereon the impression of substantially all the characters controlled by said key board, the characters controlled by each. key being adjacently positioned on said matrix, a character controlled by one of said keys being omitted from the matrix, the other character controlledby said key being positioned at one end of the matrix.

5. A matrix, for use with a type casting machine adapted to be operated by a typewriter key board, each key of which is adapted to control a plurality of characters, the matrix being aligned therealong in a single row the impression of substantially all the characters controlled by said key board, the characters controlled by each key being adjacently positioned in said alignment, a charactor controlled by one of said keys being omitted from the matrix, the other character controlled by said key positioned at one end of the alignment.

6. A matrix, foruse with a type casting machine adapted to be operated by a typewriter key board each key of which is adapted to control a plurality of characters, the matrix having thereon the impression of sub ed to control a plurality of characters, the

matrix having thereon the impression of substantially all the characters controlled by said key board, the characters controlled by each key being adj acently positioned on said matrix, the characters of said key board which are inapplicable to type casting being omitted from said matrix, the characters controlled by keys controlling such omitted characters being positioned adjacent the ends of the matrix.

8. For use with a type selecting machine, a matrix strip, an upwardly projecting stop nib at the end thereof, aguide fin parallel with the strip adjacent the nib.

9. For use with a type selecting machine, a matrix strip, an upwardly projecting stop nib at the end thereof, a guide fin parallel with the strip adjacent the nib, the fin'projecting upwardly above the strip further than the nib.

10. A matrix, adapted for use with type casting machines operated by a typewriter key board, which consists in a parallel sided bar, one face of said bar having formed in it in intaglio the characters appearing on a typewriter key board, a spring abutment at one end of said bar and a stop member at the other end of said bar.

11. A matrix, adapted for use with type casting machines operated by a typewriter key board, which consists in a parallel sided narrow bar, one narrow face of said bar hav ing formed in it in intaglio the characters appearing on a typewriter key board, and a spring abutment at one end of said bar and a stop member at the other end of said bar, said spring abutment and stop member being on the side opposite to the character bearing side.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 30th day of December CHESTER A. MACOMIC. 

